School

Mary’s Favorite Post: 2025

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Reflecting on 2025, I’m pleased with the content we’ve produced throughout the year. While I loved exploring topics like the Boy Brain and the Girl Brain, but my top pick has to be Mary’s School Update: New School, Who’s This?

School consolidations and closures have become increasingly common across the country in recent years, especially in cities that are reaching max capacity. On the flip side, new school construction and redistricting in growing communities can be just as challenging for parents to navigate.

When our school closed and we moved to a nearby one, the transition turned out to be far less daunting than we expected. In fact, the kids adapted more easily than the parents. And through it all, what truly makes a school special remains the same: the teachers, staff, and families that make the community.

Enjoy!

Holiday Gift Guide 2025: Elementary Kids, Ages 6-9

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Kids ages 6–9 are growing fast mentally, socially, and physically. They start reading independently, grasp abstract ideas, and enjoy creative and group play. Friendships deepen, empathy emerges, and they seek approval from peers. Motor skills sharpen, and they take pride in accomplishments. Gifts for this age group balance autonomy with guidance, and encourage curiosity, connection, and confidence.

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Don’t Scream, It’s just the Class Clown

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Sidney: Stu, Stu, what’s your motive? Billy’s got one, the police are on their way, what are you gonna tell them?

Stu: “Peer pressure. I’m far too sensitive.”

Oh, Stu Macher. Not only was he part of the very first Ghostface duo, but he’s also the ultimate class clown. Loud, impulsive, and constantly cracking jokes, Stu masks chaos with charisma. But beneath the blood and comic relief lies something eerily familiar: The emotional blueprint of a kid who uses humor to connect, deflect, and survive.

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The Girl Brain

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

While working at a pediatric clinic, seasoned therapists often noted that boys responded best to clear expectations and consistent consequences, while girls benefited more from patience, emotional connection, and time to process instructions and feelings.

When I was just starting out, I assumed all kids processed things the same and saw girls’ need for patience as coddling. For context, I was raised in an Asian household where emotions were seen more as a weakness than an asset. So, if you had to cry, go outside.  

With time however, I realized I was wrong. It wasn’t that they didn’t understand the task; it was that they wanted to get it right so badly. Sometimes they’d miss the mark on the first try, or they’d misread my tone and think I was upset with them. Other times, they were simply grappling with the fact that there was no room to negotiate the task or the consequence. What they needed wasn’t leniency—it was time, clarity, and emotional safety. Check out this IG video.

We know that boy and girl brains are different, but what are the actual characteristics a girl brain and makes it’s learning processes distinct from its male counterpart?  

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The Boy Brain

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Ever since my son was in daycare, I’ve heard “boys will be boys” tossed around. This was mostly to explain his energetic, impulsive behavior, especially during play or social interactions. I’ve never liked that saying. It felt like a shrug, an excuse, as if rough-and-tumble behavior is inevitable or exclusively male. And let’s be honest, girls can stir up just as much chaos as their male peers.

But as he moved into elementary school, the patterns became harder to ignore. More boys in his grade were on medication for ADHD. More boys were getting flagged for disruptive behavior. The gap wasn’t just anecdotal anymore. It was showing up in classroom dynamics, discipline charts, and parent-teacher conferences.

Recent research confirms that there are differences between male and female brains, but I keep wondering: Are those differences present before puberty? And if they are, how much do they actually shape the way boys and girls learn, connect, and navigate the world around them?

In this two-part series, we’ll explore how brain development may diverge between boys and girls, and how we can best support them as parents as they grow. First up: The boy brain.

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